Page 21 of Beta Lies and Cursed Lives

“Her name is Nyx,” she responds.

“I know her,” I say. “Smart. She’s in my history and Advanced Military Tactics classes.”

“She’s been nice to me,” she offers simply before focusing on her chocolate pie.

I grin again as she takes a bite. When she lets out the smallest moan of delight at the taste, my entire body goes rigid, and I am not the only one. I can feel the tension around the table, and for the first time in my life, I miss my curse. I want to know what Aubs and Rai think and if their thoughts are like mine.

The desire to take, to claim, to knot.

Fuck. I’m not used to these feelings. They’re dangerous beyond belief.

Most of all, I wish I could read Mira’s mind. She looks so unaffected by us that it’s almost infuriating.

Something inside my chest snarls at the thought of her not noticing me. Not wanting me.

Look at me.

Frightened eyes shoot up to mine, and my heart races, pounding like a hammer against my sternum.

Did she...hear me?

No. No way.

Aubrey bangs on the table again, directing my attention to his glowering face. His eyes are filled with a level of rage I’ve never seen before. And one glance at Rai, his covered eyes are focused on me in that eerie way he has, his lips forming a straight line.

I am definitely missing something.

“I should get going,” Mira says with haste, grabbing her tray and water bottle as she stands. “Thank you for inviting me to eat with you.”

Before I can open my mouth to protest her departure, she’s gone.

In her place, a roar of thoughts fills my head. I let out a growl of frustration and pain, clenching my fists to my temples.

There’s the scrape of chairs before Rai says, “Come,” and takes my arm to lead me from the cafeteria to one of the quietest, least populated places in the entire academy.

The library.

Raito

“Whycanyounothear our thoughts?” I demand softly after Colton, Aubrey, and I are seated at one of the library tables.

“I can now,” he responds with a whine.

I feel the movement of Aubrey’s signing.

“I don’t know, man,” Colt responds to whatever Aubrey signed.

Usually, he translates for me automatically, but I don’t intend to press him while he’s under duress.

“No,” Colt continues, “that’s a lie. It was her. Mira.”

My body stills at his admission.

Aubrey signs again, and this time, I ask what he said. This is too important a discussion.

“He wants to know if it’s her curse that suppressed mine.”

“No,” I say immediately. I feel them both turn to me, question in the air. “I was there at the end of her assessment yesterday. She turns living things into solid ice at the touch of her skin.